Fourth quarter loss for Motorola

Motorola is trying to close a deal with Google

Published: 6:44am, 27th January 2012
Updated: 8:46am, 31st January 2012

Motorola Mobility has sunk to a fourth-quarter loss, as it battled fierce competition in the smartphone and computer tablet market.

The company is also trying to close its proposed 12.5 billion US dollars (£7.8 billion) sale to Google.

Motorola Mobility Holdings lost 80 million US dollars (£51 million), or 27 cents per share, compared with a profit of 80 million US dollars at the same time in 2010. Revenue was flat at 3.44 billion US dollars (£2.19 billion).

The company said adjusted earnings were 61 million US dollars or 20 cents per share. Analysts' expected profit of 26 cents per share and revenue of 3.62 billion US dollars, (£2.3 billion) according to FactSet.

The company released preliminary numbers three weeks ago. Analysts lowered their earnings estimates then when Motorola warned the period would be a letdown.